Spring-hinge.



'No. 732,063. PATBNTED JUNE 30, 19.03. W. L. EVANS, In. SPRING HINGE.

APPLIUATIOI TILED NOV. 21, 1902 H0 MODEL.

I UNITED STATES Patented Tune 30, 1903,.

WVILLIAM LEWIS EVANS, JR, OF WASHINGTON, INDIANA.

SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 732,063, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed November 21, 1902. Serial No. 182,286. (No model.)

T0 in whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LEwIs EVANS, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the county of Daviess and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Spring-Hinge, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spring-hinges, and has for its object to produce a device of this character which will be simple of construction, efficient in operation, readily applied to the door, and which admits of the ready adjustment of the spring to vary the tension.

(Vith these ends in view the invention consists of a sliding member adapted to be operated by the movements of the door, a tensionspring carried by said members and adapted to have its tension varied by the rotation of the member, and means for rotating the member.

The invention further consists of the details of construction more fully hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section of my improved hinge with the door in a closed position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the door opened. Fig. 4 is a Vertical sectional elevation of the same, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional plan illustrating a detail.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the sliding member of the hinge, which in the present instance I have shown as applied to the door-jamb 2. This member is preferably in the form of a rod provided at its outer end with a spherical head 3 and having a portion of its inner end or stem. threaded, as at 4, for the purpose to be presently described. The sliding member is preferably carried by and attached to the door-casing by a plate 5, provided at its back with a short tubular shell or casing 6, in which the member slides, and in its face with a concavity 7 for the accommodation of the head 3 when the door is closed.

8 is a tension-spring mounted upon the rod 1, with its end for a short distance slightly contracted in diameter and engaging the threads 4, while its opposite end abuts against the casing 6 and is formed into a finger 9,

which engages a socket 10 in said casing to prevent the spring from turning. It is obvious that when the sliding member is drawn forward in opening the door the spring, being held at its outer end by the threads on the rod and at its inner end abutting against the easing, will oi'fersufficient resistance orpullupon the rod to hold the door in either its open or closed position.

11 is the other member of the hinge, in the form of a plate, shown in the present instance as attached to the door 12. This plate is formed with a socket 13, in which the spherical head 3 of the sliding member is seated and forms a balI-and-socket joint.-

14 is a semicircular depression formed transversely of the plate 11 for the accommodation of the rod 1 when the door is opened, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

15 indicates antifriction-balls suitably held in sockets or bearings inthe edge of plate or member 11 in position to bear upon plate 5 of the other member when the door is opened to preventfriction of the parts.

16 is a notch formed in the outer face of the spherical head 3 to be engaged by ascrewdriver to turn the rod 1 in order to vary the tension of spring 8 in the manner to be presently described.

17 is a hole formed in the sliding member 1 for the insertion of a pin to hold the hinge openwhile being applied to the door.

18 is' a packing of leather or the like applied to the bottom of the socket 13, against which the head 3 bears when the hinge is operated.

In applying my device to a door I form a hole or socket in the door jamb or casing of a size and shape suitable to contain the sliding member 1 and its casing 0, which Iinsert therein and secure in place by screwing the plate 5, formed on the casing 6 to the doorjamb, which is mortised to receive it. I next move the sliding member to its outer or open position and insert a pin in hole 17 to hold the same while attaching the other member 11 of the hinge to the door. I next regulate the tension of spring 8 to offer the proper degree of resistance to the sliding'member in opening and closing the door. To regulate the tension of the spring, I turn the rod 1 by means of a screw-driver to the right or left,

and the spring being prevented from turning by means of the finger 9 engaging socket 10 the outer end of the spring which engages the screw-threads on the rod will be screwed up or down upon the same, thus increasing or decreasing the tension. It will be readily seen that by my construction the tension of the spring may be readily and quickly varied and this in a very simple manner.

Itis to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the details of construction herein shown and described, as various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a hinge, the combination with a sliding member adapted to be operated by the movements of the door and to be independently rotated, of a spring mounted on the sliding member and adapted to have its tension varied by the rotation of the member.

2. In a hinge, the combination with a sliding member adapted to be operated by the movements of the door, of a spring mounted upon the member with its end seated in threads formed thereon, means for preventing the rotation of the spring, and a tool-seat formed in the member and permitting the engagement of a tool for rotating the same; whereby the tension of the spring will be varied. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM LEWIS EVANS, JR. Witnesses:

WILLIAM T. Mons, BERT. B. WILLIAM. 

